Heat exchanger with stacked plates

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a heat exchanger comprising a plurality of stacked plates  3  intended to allow an exchange of heat between a first fluid and a second fluid flowing in contact with said plates  3,  said exchanger comprising a bottle  11  for the first fluid, said plates  3  being provided with intermediate ports  69   b,    75  allowing the first fluid to flow between said plates  3  and said bottle  11,  said intermediate ports  69   b,    75  being arranged in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal main extension direction of each plate  3.

The present invention concerns a stacked-plate heat exchanger, in particular a condenser allowing heat to be exchanged between a refrigerant and a coolant in the liquid phase.

In this field, heat exchangers comprising a heat exchange bundle comprising a series of plates stacked parallel to each other are known. The stack of plates forms heat exchange surfaces, between which a refrigerant and a coolant flow, in alternate layers, through fluid passage circuits. The stack of plates is therefore configured in such a way as to define two different circuits: the refrigerant circuit and the coolant circuit.

Known exchangers of this kind include exchangers further provided with a bottle for the refrigerant and a subcooling portion, located downstream from the bottle.

In this case, the stacked plates are separated into two portions, a cooling portion and a subcooling portion, and are provided with at least two refrigerant flow ports in communication with the bottle. Arranging these ports in a direction parallel to a longitudinal extension direction of said stacked plates is known.

However, positioning the flow ports in this way has the drawback of creating, on the surface of said plates, areas in which the flow of refrigerant, and therefore the exchange of heat between the refrigerant and the coolant, is low or indeed non-existent.

One of the aims of the invention is to solve the problem explained above by proposing a heat exchanger comprising a plurality of stacked plates intended to allow an exchange of heat between a first fluid and a second fluid flowing in contact with said plates, said exchanger comprising a bottle for the first fluid, said plates being provided with intermediate ports allowing the first fluid to flow between said plates and said bottle, said intermediate ports being arranged in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal main extension direction of the plates.

Thus, the direction of flow of said refrigerant being transverse to the direction in which the intermediate ports are aligned, the areas of low heat exchange are limited.

According to different embodiments, which can be taken together or separately:

-   -   said plates are configured to each define two portions, a first         portion for allowing an exchange of heat between the first fluid         and the second fluid before the first fluid passes into the         bottle, and a second portion for allowing an exchange of heat         between the first fluid and the second fluid after the first         fluid has passed into the bottle, said intermediate ports being         arranged between said first and second portions,     -   said first portions of the plates define a condensation area and         said second portions define a subcooling area,     -   a first of said intermediate ports allows the first fluid to         flow from the condensation area to the bottle, a second of said         intermediate ports allowing the first fluid to flow from the         bottle to the subcooling area,     -   the plates further comprise an additional port, referred to as         the pass flow port, aligned with the first and second         intermediate ports,     -   the pass flow port of at least one of the plates, referred to as         the secondary plate, is sealed so as to allow said first fluid         to flow through several passes in the condensation area,     -   the bottle extends in said main direction of the plates,     -   said heat exchanger being provided with inlet manifolds and         outlet manifolds, said bottle and said manifolds are located on         a same side of the heat exchanger, referred to as the upper         side,     -   said intermediate ports are oblong and/or elongate in shape in a         direction of flow of said second fluid,     -   each of said intermediate ports has a width, measured in a         direction transverse to said longitudinal main extension         direction, that reduces over virtually the whole length of the         port in a direction of flow of said second fluid.

The invention will be more clearly understood, and other aims, details, features and advantages of same will become clearer on reading the detailed explanatory description that follows, of at least one embodiment of the invention provided as a purely illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a heat exchanger according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view, along cross section A-A, of a heat exchanger according to the invention, in a first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a view, along cross section A-A, of a heat exchanger according to the invention, in a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the front face of a first type of plate according to the invention, in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the front face of a second type of plate according to the invention, in the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the front face of a third type of plate according to the invention, in the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the front face of a fourth type of plate according to the invention, provided with a partition.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the front face of the second type of plate according to the invention, in the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the front face of the fourth type of plate, in the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a first type of plate according to the invention, in the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a portion of the front face of a second type of plate according to the invention, in the second embodiment.

The invention concerns a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a first and a second fluid, in particular a condenser of an air conditioning circuit, more particularly in a motor vehicle.

Said first fluid is, for example, a refrigerant, such as the fluid known by the name R134a or that known by the name R1234yf. The heat exchanger is configured in such a way that said first fluid enters it in the gas phase and exits in the liquid phase. The second fluid is, for example, a coolant that can be water mixed with an antifreeze product such as glycol. In other words, the coolant can be a mixture of water and glycol.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, said exchanger comprises a bundle 1 of plates 3 stacked in a stacking direction 5 in such a way as to define passages 7, 9 for said first fluid and said second fluid, said fluids exchanging heat with each other. Advantageously, a given plate 3 defines, with another adjacent plate 3, a passage 7 for the first fluid, and defines, with another adjacent plate 3, a passage 9 for the second fluid. In other words, the first fluid passages 7 and the second fluid passages 9 follow one another in an alternating manner. In this case, said bundle 1 is parallelepiped in shape.

In other words, said stacked plates 3 are designed in such a way as to together define a first circuit for the flow of the first fluid and a second circuit for the flow of the second fluid, said circuits being designed to allow the first fluid to flow, avoiding the second circuit, and the second fluid to flow, avoiding the first circuit. Said first and second circuits respectively comprise the first fluid passages 7 and the second fluid passages 9.

As shown in FIG. 1, said exchanger further comprises a bottle 11 for said first fluid. In the case of a condenser, said bottle 11 is designed to separate the gas and liquid phases of said refrigerant in such a way as to allow only the liquid phase to flow downstream of the bottle 11. Said bottle 11 can also comprise a filter and/or a drier in order to filter and/or dry said first fluid.

Said plates 3 each comprise two portions 130 and 150, a first portion 130 designed to allow an exchange of heat between the first fluid and the second fluid before the first fluid passes into the bottle 11, and a second portion 150 designed to allow an exchange of heat between the first fluid and the second fluid after the first fluid has passed into the bottle 11.

Said first 130 and second 150 portions of the plates 3 define, in the bundle, a first area 13 and a second area 15, respectively. In the case of a condenser, said first area 13 is a condensation area and said first area 15 is a subcooling area. It is noted that the bundle 1 is configured such that the first fluid cannot flow directly between the first fluid passages 7 of the first area 13 and those of the second area 15.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, said stacked plates 3 are, for example, rectangular in shape. Said plates 3 each comprise a lower edge 31 and an upper edge 32 and extend advantageously in a longitudinal main extension direction between said edges 31, 32, said longitudinal extension direction being advantageously parallel to a longitudinal extension direction of the bottle. Said lower 31 and upper 32 edges are opposite each other along said longitudinal main extension direction. Said plates 3 also comprise two longitudinal edges 34 that extend longitudinally between said lower edge 31 and said upper edge 32. Said plates 3 also comprise, at their periphery, a raised edge 30. The plates 3 are designed to be arranged in contact with each other, for example brazed, at said raised edges 30. Said plates 3 have two faces, a front face and a back face, said raised edge 30 being arranged at said front face of each plate 3. In other words, said raised edge 30 projects from the front face side of each of the plates 3.

Said plates 3 are, for example, obtained by chasing, punching and/or molding a rolled metal sheet, for example aluminum and/or an aluminum alloy.

Concerning said first fluid, said bottle 11 is connected upstream with said first area 13 of the bundle 1 and downstream with said second area 15 of the bundle 1. In other words, said heat exchanger is configured in such a way that said first fluid flows successively through said first area 13 of the bundle 1, said bottle 11 and said second area 15 of the bundle 1.

Said heat exchanger comprises an inlet manifold for the first fluid 19 i, an outlet manifold for the first fluid 19 o, an inlet manifold 18 i for the second fluid and an outlet manifold 18 o for the second fluid.

As shown in FIG. 1, advantageously, said manifolds and the bottle 11 are arranged on a same side of the heat exchanger. In this case, said inlet and outlet manifolds are located on an upper side 17, for example close to opposing corners of said upper side 17.

Advantageously, the heat exchanger is configured such that said first fluid enters the bundle 1 through said first fluid inlet manifold 19 i. Said first fluid next flows through the first area 13, then flows through the bottle 11 and returns to the bundle 1 where it flows through the second area 15. Said first fluid finally exits said bundle 1 through the first fluid outlet manifold 19 o.

Advantageously, unlike for the first fluid, said bundle 1 is configured such that said second fluid flows through the bundle 1 directly from one of said first 130 and second 150 areas to the other, without passing through the bottle 11. In this case, the direction of flow of the second fluid is substantially the same in the whole bundle 1.

The bottle 11 extends advantageously parallel to said upper side 17 of the bundle 1. Said bottle 11 is located in this case between said manifolds 19 i, 19 o. Therefore, depending on the length available for the bottle 11, the cross section of the bottle 11 is adapted to obtain the desired volume. This possibility of varying the volume of the bottle 11 by varying its cross section means the manifolds 19 i, 19 o are more easily accessible. This configuration allows a high level of integration and the use of a bottle 11 that is easy to manufacture.

Said heat exchanger can also, for example, comprise a reinforcement plate 49 on said upper side 17.

As shown in FIG. 2, said bundle 1 advantageously defines several passes, in this case three passes 25 a, 25 b, 25 c, for said first fluid in said first area 13. Said passes 25 a, 25 b, 25 c, are configured such that said first fluid flows successively from one pass to the next in this order, changing direction between each pass. Such a flow of the first fluid helps increase the heat exchange while limiting head losses, in particular when the number of passages associated with each pass reduces from one pass to the next in the direction of flow of the first fluid, if said first area 13 is, for example, a condensation area for the first fluid.

Advantageously, the number of said passes 25 a, 25 b, 25 c, is odd so as to optimize the relative location of the bottle 11 and the first fluid inlet 19 i.

Said heat exchanger comprises, in this case, collectors for the first fluid configured to allow said first fluid to flow from one of said first fluid passages 7 to the next first fluid passage 7, while avoiding the second fluid circuit. Similarly, said heat exchanger 1 is provided with collectors for the second fluid configured to allow said second fluid to flow from one of said second fluid passages 9 to the next second fluid passage 9, while avoiding the first fluid circuit.

Said collectors are defined by ports with which said plates 3 are provided. Each collector is arranged through the plates 3. In particular, each collector advantageously has a longitudinal main extension direction parallel to the stacking direction 5 of the plates 3. In other words, said collectors are arranged parallel to the stacking direction 5 of the plates 3. More specifically, said bundle 1 comprises an inlet collector for the first fluid to enter the first area 13, referred to as the main inlet collector 51 a, said main inlet collector 51 a being connected to the first fluid inlet manifold 19 i. Said bundle 1 also comprises an outlet collector for the first fluid to exit the first area 13, referred to as the first intermediate collector 55, connected to the bottle 11. Said bundle 1 also comprises an inlet collector for the second fluid to enter the first area 13, connected to the second fluid inlet manifold 18 i.

Said bundle 1 further comprises an inlet collector for the first fluid to enter the second area 15 from the bottle 11, referred to as the second intermediate collector 51 b, connected to the bottle 11. Said bundle 1 also comprises an outlet collector 51 c for the first fluid to exit the second area 15, referred to as the main outlet collector 51 c, connected to the first fluid outlet manifold 19 o. Said bundle 1 also comprises an outlet collector for the second fluid connected to the second fluid outlet manifold 18 o.

The first 55 and second 51 b intermediate collectors are arranged in the bundle 1 between the first 13 and second 15 areas.

The main inlet collector 51 a, the main outlet collector 51 c, the inlet collector for the second fluid to enter the first area and the outlet collector for the first fluid to exit the second area are all arranged along side edges 18 of the bundle 1, parallel to the stacking direction 5 of the plates 3.

It is noted that the main inlet collector 51 a is connected both to the first fluid inlet manifold 19 i and to each of the first fluid passages 7 inside the first area 13 of the bundle 1. The main outlet collector 51 c is connected both to the first fluid outlet manifold 19 o and to each of the first fluid passages 7 inside the second area 15.

It is also noted that the first intermediate collector 55 allows the first fluid to flow from the first area 13 of the bundle 1 to the bottle 11. The second intermediate collector 51 b allows the first fluid to flow from the bottle 11 to each of the first fluid passages 7 in the second area 15 of the bundle 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, if the exchanger has several passes, said bundle 1 further comprises a third intermediate collector 53 for the first fluid to flow through several passes. Said third intermediate collector 53 is designed to allow the first fluid to flow directly between said third intermediate collector 53 and each of the first fluid passages 7 inside the first area 13.

The first, second and third intermediate collectors 55, 51 b, 53 are thus arranged in the bundle 1 between the first area 13 and the second area 15, parallel to each other.

Advantageously, in order to allow the first fluid to flow through several passes in the first area 13, in this case, more specifically, through three passes, the main inlet collector 51 a and the intermediate collector 53 each comprise a separation partition 57. Said separation partitions 57 are, for example, flat walls arranged in said collectors in an orientation transverse to the longitudinal main extension direction of said collector. Said separation partitions 57 are arranged so as to separate an internal space of said collector into longitudinal portions opposite each other in the longitudinal main extension direction of said collector. Said separation partitions 57 are configured to limit or indeed prevent the flow of the first fluid between said two portions of a collector, said portions being separated from each other by said separation partition 57.

Said separation partitions 57 are arranged in each collector 51 a, 53 to generate said flow through several passes 25 a, 25 b, 25 c, as a result of an offset, in the stacking direction, between the location of one of the separation partitions 57 in said main inlet collector 51 a and the location of another of the separation partitions 57 in the third intermediate collector 53. Each separation partition 57 is configured to modify the direction of flow of said first fluid in the first area 13 of the bundle 1.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 9, the plates 3 each comprise several ports, each of the ports corresponding to one of the collectors of the bundle 1. It is noted that said ports are arranged identically on each plate 3 such that, when the plates 3 are stacked on each other, the superpositioning of said ports of each plate 3 defines each of the collectors of the bundle 1.

In particular, said plates 3 comprise a first intermediate port 75 and a second intermediate port 69 b that both allow the first fluid to flow between said plates 3 and said bottle 11. Said first intermediate port 75 corresponds to the collector 55 while said second intermediate port 69 b corresponds to the collector 51 b.

According to the invention, said first and second intermediate ports 69 b and 75 are aligned in a direction substantially transverse and/or orthogonal to the longitudinal main extension direction of the plates 3. In other words, said first and second ports 69 b and 75 are centered on a straight line substantially transverse and/or orthogonal to the general and/or average direction of flow of the first fluid.

In the case of a heat exchanger with several passes, the plates 3 further comprise an additional port 73 referred to as the third intermediate port 73, said third intermediate port 73 allowing a flow through the passes and being aligned with said first 75 and second 69 b intermediate ports. Said third intermediate port 73 corresponds in this case to the third intermediate collector 53.

The alignment of said intermediate ports 69 b, 75, 73 along a straight line substantially transverse or orthogonal to a general direction of flow of the first fluid helps avoid the creation of one or indeed several areas at which the flow, and therefore the exchange of heat, is low or indeed non-existent. This arrangement of said intermediate ports 69 b, 75, 73 allows a better use of space by maximizing the heat exchange areas.

Said intermediate ports 69 b, 73, 75 are advantageously oblong and elongate in shape in a longitudinal extension direction of the plate 3. Each of said intermediate ports 69 b, 73, 75 advantageously extends between two longitudinal ends of said port opposite each other in said longitudinal main extension direction of the plate. Said intermediate ports 69 b, 73, 75 have a width, measured in a direction transverse to said longitudinal main extension direction, that reduces over virtually the whole length of the port between the two longitudinal ends. The part of the port having the greatest width is located upstream from the part of the port having the smallest width, in the direction of flow of the second fluid.

In other words, said intermediate ports 69 b, 75, 73 are bulb-shaped, the widest part being located upstream from the narrowest part in the direction of flow of said second fluid.

This shape of said intermediate ports 69 b, 75, 73 helps reduce head losses generated by the flow of the second fluid over the plates 3 at said intermediate ports 69 b, 75, 73.

Said plates 3 comprise several types of plates 3, including primary plates 3 a, shown in FIGS. 4, 6 and 9, and secondary plates 3 b, shown in FIGS. 5, 7 and 8. Said primary plates 3 a are designed such that the first fluid flows over their front face and the second fluid flows over their back face. Said secondary plates 3 b are designed such that the second fluid can flow over their front face and the first fluid can flow over their back face. Alternating one of the primary plates 3 a with one of the secondary plates 3 b allows the stack of plates to create said first fluid and second fluid circuits.

Said plates 3 are used in pairs, each pair of plates 3 comprising one of the primary plates 3 a and one of the secondary plates 3 b.

In particular, concerning the first fluid circuit, each first fluid passage 7 is defined by a flow space between the front face of one of the primary plates 3 a and the back face of one of the secondary plates 3 b, said two primary 3 a and secondary 3 b plates being adjacent to each other. Concerning the second fluid, each second fluid passage 9 is defined by a flow space between the front face of one of the secondary plates 3 b and the back face of one of the primary plates 3 a, said two primary 3 a and secondary 3 b plates being adjacent to each other.

In the case of a secondary plate 3 b, each of the first 73, second 69 b and third 75 intermediate ports is located respectively in a pressed area forming a domed region 73′, 69 b′ and 75′, each of said domed regions 73′, 69 b′ and 75′ being arranged inside a flat region 67 forming a bottom of the plate. It is moreover noted that each secondary plate 3 b is designed such that said second fluid can flow, on the front face of said plate, at the flat region 67 between said domed regions 73′, 69 b′ and 75′ surrounding each port 73, 69 b, 65 and directly from the first portion 130 to the second portion 150 of said secondary plate 3 b. In other words, said secondary plate 3 b is designed such that said second fluid can flow, on its front face, from the first portion 130 to the second portion 150 of said plate, bypassing each of the ports 73, 69 b, 75 and therefore without flowing into the collectors 51 b, 55 and 53.

Said three domed regions 69 b′, 75′ and 73′ of the secondary plate are intended to correspond respectively with flat regions 69 b″, 75″ and 73″ of an adjacent primary plate 3 a. In other words, said domed regions 69 b′, 75′ and 73′ and said flat regions 69 b″, 75″ and 73″ are intended, once the plates 3 are stacked on each other, to be in contact.

In each of the primary plates 3 a, said intermediate ports 69 b, 75 and 73 are each arranged respectively inside said flat regions 69 b″, 75″ and 73″. Advantageously, said flat regions 69 b″, 75″ and 73″ each have a shape substantially identical to and dimensions slightly larger than each intermediate port. In other words, on the primary plates 3 a, each of said flat regions 69 b″, 75″ and 73″ surrounds the corresponding intermediate port 69 b, 75 and 73.

Said flat regions 69 b″, 75″ and 73″ of the primary plates 3 a are substantially identical in shape and dimensions to the domed regions 69 b′, 75′ and 73′ of the secondary plates 3 b, so as to facilitate the joining together of the flat regions 69 b″, 75″ and 73″ and domed regions 69 b′, 75′ and 73′.

In particular, the front face of said domed regions 69 b′, 75′ and 73′ of each secondary plate 3 b is configured to be in contact with the back face of the region of the flat regions 69 b″, 75″ and 73″ of an adjacent primary plate 3 a.

The primary plates 3 a can be further distinguished as primary plates of a first type 3 a′ shown in FIG. 4 and primary plates of a second type 3 a″ shown in FIG. 6. Combining one of the secondary plates 3 b with one of the primary plates of the first type 3 a′ makes it possible to form a first type of pair. Combining one of the secondary plates 3 b with one of the primary plates of the second type 3 a″ makes it possible to form a second type of pair.

The pairs of plates of the first type are configured to allow the first fluid to flow through the passes 25 a and 25 b, and indeed 25 c. The pairs of plates of the second type are configured to allow the first fluid to flow between the first and third intermediate collectors 53, 55, at the pass 25 c. In other words, the passes 25 a and 25 b comprise pairs of plates 3 of the first type whereas the pass 25 c comprises at least one pair of plates 3 of the second type and, optionally, pairs of plates of the first type.

It is noted that the secondary plates 3 b are advantageously identical in all the passes and therefore the type of pairs of plates 3 is unimportant, unless provided with a partition 57, as discussed in greater detail below.

In both types of pairs, the primary plate 3 a is provided on its front face with a pressed area formed from a domed region 65 intended to be in contact with the back face of a secondary plate 3 b, at said flat region 67 of the latter. It is noted that said domed region 65 of the primary plate 3 a is arranged between the first 130 and second 150 portion of said plate 3 a, at the intermediate ports 69 b, 75, 73. Similarly, the flat region 67 of the secondary plates 3 b is arranged between the portion 130 and the portion 150.

In particular, said domed region 65 extends in a substantially transverse direction from one of the side edges 34 to the other of the side edges 34 of the primary plate 3 a, such that said first fluid is prevented from passing directly from the first area 13 to the second area 15.

In pairs of the first type, said domed region 65 of the primary plate of the first type 3 a′ and said flat region 67 of the secondary plate are designed such that, when joined together, they prevent the first fluid from flowing between both the first portion 13 and the second intermediate port 69 b and the first intermediate port 75, while allowing the first fluid to flow between the first area 13 and the port 73 and between the second intermediate port 69 b and the second area 13.

In other words, said domed region 65 of the primary plate of the first type 3 a′ and said flat region 67 of the secondary plate 3 b are designed such that, when joined together, they prevent the first fluid from flowing between the first area 13 of the bundle 1 and the first and second intermediate collectors 55, 51 b.

More specifically, in the plates 3 of the pairs of the first type, said domed region 65 first bypasses the flat region 69 b″ and said second intermediate port 69 b in such a way as to isolate said second intermediate port 69 b from the first portion 13. The port 75 and the flat region 75″ are then completely surrounded by the domed region 65 such that said port 75 is designed to be isolated from both the first portion 13 and the second portion 15. Finally, the domed region 65 bypasses the flat region 73″ and the third intermediate port 73 in such a way as to separate said third intermediate port 73 from the second portion 15 of the primary plate of the first type 3 a′.

The pairs of the second type, i.e. those arranged in the final pass 25 c, differ from the pairs of the first type in that, in this case, said domed region 65 of the primary plate of the second type 3 a″ is this time designed such that, in joining together with the flat region 67 of the secondary plate 3 b, it allows the first fluid to flow directly between the first area 13 and the first intermediate collector 55. In other words, the primary plates of the second type 3 a″ are designed so as to provide a passage between the first area 13 and the bottle 11.

More specifically, in the plates of the pairs of the second type, said domed region 65 of the primary plate of the second type 3 a″ first bypasses the flat region 69 b″ and said second intermediate port 69 b in such a way as to isolate said second intermediate port 69 b from the first portion 13. The flat region 75″ and the first intermediate port 75 are then separated from the second portion 15 of the primary plate of the second type 3 a″ by the domed region 65. Finally, the flat region 73″ and the third intermediate port 73 are also separated from the second portion 15 of the primary plate of the second type 3 a″ by said domed region 65.

In FIG. 7, the secondary plate 3 b differs from that shown in FIG. 5 in that the port 73 is in this case provided with one of said separation partitions 57. Advantageously, in a heat exchanger with more than one pass, the bundle 1 comprises at least one such plate 3. It is noted that the separation partitions 57 are, for example, integral with the domed regions 73′.

The flow of the second fluid is not affected by the type of pair of plates 3. A same type of passage is defined guiding the second fluid from the second fluid inlet collector to the second fluid outlet collector.

Generally, it is observed that the flow of each fluid within a pair of plates is constrained by the joint between the front face of a domed region of one of the plates 3 and the back face of a flat region of an adjacent plate 3, said fluid being forced to bypass said joint. In other words, the contact area between one of the domed regions and the flat surface is inaccessible to said first and second fluids.

It is also noted that said domed region 65 is designed to prevent the first fluid from flowing directly from one collector to another. In other words, said domed area 65 is further designed in such a way as to prevent the first fluid from flowing, between two plates 3 of a given pair, from one intermediate port to another intermediate port, except at pairs of the second type.

Said plates 3 can moreover be provided with corrugations 77 on the bottom of the plate arranged so as to create disturbances in the fluids and/or contacts points between the plates 3. Said corrugations thus help improve the exchange of heat between the first fluid and the second fluid.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, the first area 13 of the heat exchanger defines a single-pass configuration. This configuration is obtained in this case by using only secondary plates 3 b, all provided with separation partitions 57, as shown in FIG. 7, and primary plates of the second type 3 a″ as shown in FIG. 6.

As a variant, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, plates 3 provided with no third intermediate port can be used.

Advantageously, the other features of the single-pass heat exchanger are similar to those of the three-pass heat exchanger. 

1. A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of stacked plates for allowing an exchange of heat between a first fluid and a second fluid flowing in contact with said plurality of stacked plates; and a bottle for the first fluid, said plurality of stacked plates being provided with intermediate ports allowing the first fluid to flow between said plates and said bottle, said intermediate ports being arranged in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal main extension direction of each plate of the plurality of stacked plates.
 2. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of stacked plates are configured to each define two portions, a first portion for allowing an exchange of heat between the first fluid and the second fluid before the first fluid passes into the bottle, and a second portion for allowing an exchange of heat between the first fluid and the second fluid after the first fluid has passed into the bottle, said intermediate ports being arranged between said first and second portions.
 3. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first portions of the plurality of stacked plates define a condensation area and said second portions define a subcooling area.
 4. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 3, wherein a first of said intermediate ports allows the first fluid to flow from the condensation area to the bottle, a second of said intermediate ports allowing the first fluid to flow from the bottle to the subcooling area.
 5. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of stacked plates further comprise an additional port, referred to as the pass flow port, aligned with said first and second intermediate ports.
 6. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pass flow port of at least one of the plates, referred to as the secondary plate, is sealed so as to allow said first fluid to flow through several passes in the condensation area.
 7. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottle extends in said main direction of the plates.
 8. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said heat exchanger being provided with inlet manifolds and outlet manifolds, said bottle and said manifolds are located on a same side of the heat exchanger, referred to as the upper side.
 9. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intermediate ports are oblong and/or elongate in shape in a direction of flow of said second fluid.
 10. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said intermediate ports has a width, measured in a direction transverse to said longitudinal main extension direction, that reduces over virtually the whole length of the port in a direction of flow of said second fluid. 